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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a face
  4. hand — help
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — goods
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cap — of ice
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stock — shares
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a cup
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com